Visit a 200-year-old chocolate shop in Paris

The À la Mère de Famille shop in Paris has a long history and has been famous for its irresistible chocolate since the 18th century. When I first saw it, I was stunned for a moment, because the shop was so beautiful. The exterior still retains the classic architecture, the same nostalgic green color and the old-fashioned candy jars displayed near the glass door, attracting the eyes of passersby.

In 1761, Pierre-Jean Bernard, a young grocer who moved from Coulommiers to Paris, opened a small chocolate shop called À la Mère de Famille at 35, rue Faubourg Montmartre. And from there, he also opened the first paradise for chocolate lovers in Paris. The products from the past still retain the same quality, from the classic chocolates to the unique Folies de l'Écureuil chocolates, all of which left me very impressed.

Of course, À la Mère de Famille has changed hands over the centuries. Marie-Adélaïde Bridault, Pierre-Jean Bernard’s second wife, took over the business when her husband died in 1807. She raised four children on her own, and while the shop was already well-known, she helped it develop into a brand that has weathered many ups and downs.

The shop was family owned before being passed on to Étienne Dolfi. The famous confectioner fell in love with the famous chocolate brand and developed À la Mère de Famille in the 2000s. Étienne Dolfi’s children Sophie, Steve, Jane and Jonathan all inherited their father’s love of sweets and expanded the business across Paris. There was once just one À la Mère de Famille, but today there are 11 branches across the city.

One of the key values ​​that has remained constant at À la Mère de Famille is their commitment to relying on their own trusted artisans, rather than ordering their confectionery from elsewhere. For example, the Negus de Nevers (a soft caramel or chocolate) is made from a unique family recipe, carefully selected and prepared by artisans.

“We are very conservative and committed to preserving this heritage,” says Steve Dolfi. “À la Mère de Famille will contribute to creating new, delicious products without losing the tradition. We select the raw materials, turn the cacao into chocolate and the dried fruits into candy fillings, produce everything ourselves and control the process from start to finish, which is the way to ensure the integrity of the taste and the excellent quality of the products.”

As the French have become more concerned about healthy eating, cutting back on sugar and eating more fresh fruit, À la Mère de Famille’s specialties have also had to change. The candied chestnuts are less sweet, and the chestnut flavour is more intense. It took four years of research and experimentation to perfect this chestnut recipe. À la Mère de Famille’s menu now also features a range of delicious fruit sorbets, and some sweets made with the finest fresh fruit. Everything from fruit tarts to rose tarts, from Folies de l’Écureuil (roasted almonds and hazelnuts, caramelised, and dusted with dark chocolate) to lemon tarts, is baked in-house daily.

While preserving tradition and improving recipes, the bakery also creates new dishes. One of the most popular cakes in Paris recently is the chocolate gâteau, which consists of layers of soft biscuit, dark chocolate ganache and crispy chocolate leaves.

Of course, chocolate is always the main focus of the shop, but macarons have also become one of À la Mère de Famille’s specialties. Dried fruits and fruit ganaches are added to the macarons here to create unique combinations. Some of the most popular flavors with customers are pistachio, hazelnut, pine nut, coffee, vanilla and caramel. Not sure which one to choose, I decided to buy a colorful box of macarons as a gift, along with some fruit jellies and some of the shop’s best-selling chocolates.

With over two centuries of experience, À la Mère de Famille’s secret recipes bring them millions of loyal customers each year. With each visit, more than half become fans. Although they, like me, never know when they will have the chance to visit again.

More information

Address: 35, rue Faubourg Montmartre, Paris, France

Opening hours: 10:00 - 19:30

Website:À la Mère de Famille

Phone: +33147708369

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